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2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
http://www.toyotajbl.com/audio_advantages.asp
Amaury
'08 Limited
Mack :shades:
I heard that rumor here about 2 weeks ago. My plan had been to wait for the 2010 model and then trade in my 05 for 1 of those. Once I heard the rumor I upped my plan into buying an 09 in about 6 months.
I wound up at Younger Toyota in Hagerstown, Md last Tuesday just to look at colors, blue mirage and silver, to get an idea of which I preferred. Turns out they had a managers demo with 6,800 miles for sale. A fully loaded LTD in silver. I bought it for 1714 under invoice, or 31,100.
So now I'm on my 3rd and probably last Avalon. I had bought my 05 the 3rd day they were out, Feb. of 05.
Thanks,
Ray
That's what I did however doing so made me nervous, (had the rear retainers broke $ for new air box). I also would have liked to vacuum out the air box.
Thank you for your reply.
Still looking for proper procedure for removing engine air filter cover from '08 Avalon!
Ray
Transmission in mine slips when shifting. Usually during the 2-3 and 3-4 shifts under light throttle. Not every time, but happens on a daily basis. Usually the "slip" (a surge in rpm until the tranny engages the next higher gear) is a few hundred rpm, but once in a while it's much more dramatic--really a case of getting caught in neutral for upwards of a second or so.
I've asked the dealer to look at it twice. First time they could not reproduce the problem. Second time they said there was a new service bulletin which involved erasing the memory, allowing the tranny to "relearn" my driving style. Problem persists.
Searching this forum showed one possibly similar case from "Arthur" in February, but his problem apparently resolved spontaneously. I believe there were some issues with the 5 speed which were in some cases fixed by "reflashing" but not aware if that applies to the '08 6 speed. If it does, what's the protocol for reflashing?
Anyone else experienced this, or better yet, anyone had the problem and had it fixed?
It appears that Toyota is still struggling with finding the "sweet spot(s)" wherein the CORRECT line pressure is available according to the up/down shift requirements of the moment and under the myriad of varying conditions.
And it isn't YOUR driving style the engine/transaxle will need to "relearn" after the memory erasure, but the line pressure control solenoids PWM duty cycle for controlling the exacting line pressure for all of the conditions/situations.
And that's going to take more than 2 or 3 drive cycles, it will likely take more than 500 miles.
But the problem may very well be that the gear type ATF pump that Toyota is using does not have enough volume/flow capacity to provide the QUICK change in line pressure required at certain times and situations.
Time, and the ECU "relearning" process, will tell.
My guess will be that on your next trip to the dealer they will be changing out at least one of the line pressure control solenoids.
Ford solved this very same problem, seemingly, by adopting a variable displacement ATF pump.
In the meantime, here's my question: how damaging over the long run is this "loose" shifting for the transmission? Am I causing accelerated wear or risking early failure as long as this continues?
And if I read you correctly, if the problem persists past the 500 mile mark, then I may be in for a battle and replacement of solenoids. Since few other '08 owners seem to be complaining, I'm hoping it is a fixable problem, not something intrinsic to this transmission.
Thanks.
Slippage in other than 3-4 upshifts would indicate your situation is unique compared to the more common "failure" complaints being posted so I would suspect a sticking/sticking line pressure control solenoid.
Has it done this for the entire 16,000 miles or is it a more recent development??
yadda............WENT UP THE LADDER AT tOYOTA MAIN OFFICE SAME THING
Now have 9000 miles on it
I drive it hard
but not enough to hurt it
So....here's the deal
Heard it on this forum I don't think any one had actually tried it
You can 0 your computer by disconecting the battery
I did and it worked well for anoyher 3000 miles...
did it again and it is still doing well
It never went back to the original factory settings (which I though were perfect)
But It certainly made a positive difference
and I can't see where it can hurt anything
even though we should'nt have to do it Any body else tried this........It worked .Kind of
GOOD LUCK
Burl
wwest: it's been true almost, if not the entire time I've had it. I can't remember clearly enough the very early weeks I spent driving it well enough to be sure. After having read your prior post, I have been obsessively watching the shifts, as I'm about 800 miles out from the last service, and I think there may be an improvement--seems like the rpm blip is now more in the 100-200 rev range, rather than previously when 300-500 rpm surges were more common. But...it's an intermittent problem so I'll keep watching.
While the 3-4 shift is the most commonly affected I am confident that other shifts, mainly the 2-3, also slip. If this problem persists, I will print out your posts and take it to my dealer next time (sign of the times when you get better service online than from the dealer!). Thanks again, it is truly appreciated.
They bought the Toyota after having a 1995 Town Car for 13 years. They are very upset with the Avalon not being very reliable. They expect a car to start every time and so do I. Especially after only sitting for a few days. I am wondering if anyone else has had this occur. I do understand that if their is an intermittent problem that did not occur when we had it in the shop, they will be at a loss to determine the problem.
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
@10% ethanol I have seen no decrease in fuel economy. Also if your driving at 70/75 mph there is no way your getting 33mph!
Again BS
Using a blended fuel with ethanol, say 10%, will reduce mileage by about 2%, maybe a little more, if you follow the textbook analysis of fuel composition. Any additional drop is due to different driving, math error or other factors. The load the vehicle carries makes little difference on a long trip unless you are the mountains. Speed is a critical factor as air resistance is exponential.
Always remember that Avalon odometers tend to be off by about 3% short so adjust all mileage calculations upward to compensate. Check the odo with the interstate mile markers when you get a chance, see if your car is off...mine is... Enjoy the Avy, all.. great value...
10% ethanol I have seen no decrease in fuel economy. Also if your driving at 70/75 mph there is no way your getting 33mph!
Again BS "
You must be a graduate of the "How to make friends and influence people" leadership course.
When Toyota went to the 6 speed trans it allowed them to make a better choice of gear ratio and still keep the trans shifting smoothly using a lower ratio for 1st gear for better acceleration and a very tall gear in 6th for better mileage
1800 rpm at 69 mph is only 1000rpm over idling no wonder it gives great mileage
Try this just for fun !
Set the cruse control at 69 as you are getting ready to go up an incline. the trans will shift back into 5th or 4th gear depending on how steep it is............NOW.... turn on the AC.....
And you wonder where your gas goes? LOLOL
I prefer to use 100% gasoline as a personal protest, but it is very hard to find, at least as regular. (I believe ethanol is a terrible waste of tax dollars, raises food prices, etc.)
Well, yes, and...no....
If you have a CVT, Continuously Variable Transmission then regardless of road speed the engine can ALWAYS be made to operate at the lowest possible RPM, lowest frictional component, most optimal FE, wherein it just barely produces enough torque to move the car along at the desired speed and road conditions.
So it is the engine's low RPM torque production capability that is the real determining factor for constant speed cruising on the hwy.
I agree with you there. I read somewhere that it costs more to make the ethanol than the benefit if any we get from it.
But at 32+ mpg... that's great! Who cares about exact speed or fuel composition...
Any more thoughts on the replacement of the Avalon? Maybe in 2010? It seems that the 2009 will be like the 2008 except the VSC will be standard from looking at some of the SE dealers inventory.
Thanks,
George
:shades:
PS, we are keeping the Solara convertible. The hardtop is gone after 08.
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
I believe squeezing in more is not a good idea. It heats up, expands, and leaks out. That's something I learned many years ago. Don't know if it's still true.
"it got better mileage above 70 mph"
Not sure, but it seemed to me, that we got better mileage at 70ish than we did at lower speeds.
"I read somewhere that it costs more to make the ethanol than the benefit if any we get from it"
According to Popular Science, at best it's 1 unit of energy in to generate 1.1 units out.
The following procedure worked for me:
Remove the 3 vacuum tubes on the front of the box, disconnect the sensor wire from the top of the box by simply pulling it off and away. Loosen the phillips screw on the hose clamp that connects the top of the filter box to the air intake and push the 4 inch intake hose away from the top of the filter box. Unclip the 3 retaining clips by pulling the ring up from the bottom. There are two hinge type connections at the rear of the air box. Lift up the airbox top from the front and carefully unhinge the back from the bottom of the box by applying slight downward pressure as you are lifting the front portion. The top of the air filter box should then come off. The filter itself may be inside the top of bottom of the box. Simply remove it and discard it.
I replaced my old filter with a puroator #A45650. With the top of the air fliter box off, you can clean out the debris in the bottom of the air filter box, and wipe away loose dirt from the top and bottom halves. Place the new filter into the top of the air filter box and seat it SNUGGLY inside. Now reseat the air box top on the rear bottom hinge joints and lower the top down fully. Now fasten the 3 spring clips. If the clips do not fasten, do not force them. Re-check to make sure that the filter is seated properly and that the hinges are secure in the rear. You should not be able to see any of the filter showing between the bottom and top sections when the top and bottom halves are together. The filter is triangular shaped on the 2007 and can only be seated in the filter box one way. Continue reassembling in the order that you disassembled it. If you are worried about the vacuum tubes being replaced correctly, use tape and mark them before you take it apart.
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve
My '06 Avalon still does it to this day. Not as bad, but there is always a film on the interior windows a few days after cleaning,
2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn, Built to Serve